movie recommendation: 300

[akk]

When the movie 300 came into the cinemas 2007, I was not tempted to watch it (ditto at the DVD release later that year). The topic wasn't that interesting to me.

However, since then the movie managed to be called (in no specific order & no assumption of completeness): fascist, racist, communist, (+ a lot more -ists), inhuman, violence-glorifying, historically incorrect and politically incorrect towards the elderly, the disabled, artisans, craftspeople, women, African people, Asian people - and it pissed off the entire nation of Iran.

All that while still getting a cinema rating of FSK-16 (roughly an "R") in Germany. Wow.

Let's say, I was intrigued. Today I sat down and watched it. And found that I liked it. A lot.

So what is 300?

Is it violent? yes.

Is it historically incorrect? Not more than most flicks I've come across that demand to be "history movies" (it never claimed to be one).

Is it politically incorrect? If you take the characters and creatures as historical / real people & animals, then yes. However, within the comic plot, the characters work - they are drawn to resemble their plot role, features emphasized to the point of caricature - matching the comic the film is based on one on one - and in that the film is a lot more fantasy than history!
Miller's works (Sin City, 300...) are controversial, to say the least. They are no kiddy stuff and I know grown-ups who prefer reading nicer things, but those aren't the intended audience. The others: Grab the hot chili chips, a coke (or coffee) and enjoy the show!

Because 300 is one of the most precise and visually striking comic adaptations I've come across so far.

Comments

[sakurakira.insanejournal.com]

Politically incorrect toward artisans and craftspeople? I'm afraid I'd have to see an explanation of that one. Movies like that really need to be taken as they're meant: as entertainment. Glad you enjoyed it :D.

[akk.insanejournal.com]

P.I towards artisans and craftspeople. I don't know what specifically annoyed those groups. The only scene that involved the professions is when Athens and Sparta king compared their troops and though athens was much larger, it wasn't composed of professional warriors, which was proven by asking a couple of men about their profession. *shrug*

Frankly, there are so many complaints about 300 being politically incorrect towards [insert entity of choice here], that it's probably the most politically correct film there is, because absolutely everybody can find something to be pissed off about it. ;)